Over the last four or five months, I’ve noticed a bit of a change. One that I haven’t seen since I went through the gates at Williams Grove Speedway for the first time in 1984.
Owners and drivers have never been able to get on the same page for a common goal. Whether it’s conditions on a particular night of racing, rules, safety, or payout, most teams choose the road that best suits them. As for change, it almost seems taboo.
That doesn’t seem to be the case now that 2022 is coming to a close. Owners who field cars to run full time on the World of Outlaws trail have been on conference calls discussing issues surrounding the series such as streaming revenue, compensation, freedom, and alternate options moving forward if demands aren’t being met.
The rift is real between the owners and World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter. It comes down to business, and while a split doesn’t seem like it will happen heading into 2023 — it’s a little late in the game — the future seems to be a little unsettled as more lucrative non-Outlaw events continue to pop up.
No doubt there are fans spread out across the country who feel drivers and owners should shut up and race. This sport has always been performance based, and fans view such chatter as whining or complaining, which was evident after the Outlaws just announced a new “Exclusivity Bonus Program” that appears to look good on paper.
As someone who has talked to both sides, including owners and drivers, there is a gripe. It’s one that has morphed out of the big payouts in Super Late Model racing, a lack of transparency with increased revenue in streaming, and the higher costs that owners are swallowing to get up and down the road.
This all started in the first few months of 2022. It led to Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet pairing with FloRacing to create the High Limit Sprint Car Series, which was finally announced Kings Royal week in July. The premise was to inject more money into Sprint Car racing with midweek shows without competing directly with the World of Outlaws.
The new 12-race series didn’t sit well with Carter or the Outlaw brass. I think he felt betrayed by his three-time, now four-time, champion creating something new that could be perceived as another option to the Outlaw tour and brand.
For Sweet and Larson, I just think it was business. When the Kasey Kahne Racing ace says he doesn’t want to compete against the World of Outlaws, I believe him. If he wanted to do what the United Sprint Association did in 1989 or National Sprint Tour tried in 2006, he would’ve put together a 60 or 70-race schedule from the jump.
That didn’t happen. But it didn’t stop the back-and-forth talks between Carter and owners. According to owners, there was radio silence, at times, from Carter and when there were discussions, they weren’t exactly productive or civil.
The owners want some transparency, especially when it comes to streaming. There is no denying that DIRTVision is a lucrative venture, and rumors are rampant on the numbers and how much money is generated. It almost seems like there is more known facts surrounding the JFK assassination than streaming in this sport.
People behind the scenes, including the teams, have heard different ranges for streaming. Carter doesn’t have to give up the real numbers … it’s his business, and I don’t blame him. But you can’t say the sport is growing at a rapid rate and try and sell the narrative that it doesn’t make as much money as you think.
It doesn’t work that way. At least not to owners, who are dishing out huge sums to make this all work. Like any professional sport, they want, and probably deserve, a bigger slice of the pie.
Freedom is also an issue. Teams are held to strict rules about running other races. With High Limit and other non-Outlaw races entering the Sprint Car equation, owners want to be able to take advantage of this other high-paying events when it doesn’t conflict with a regular World of Outlaws event.
I understand Carter’s hesitation with allowing more freedom. He wants to protect the World of Outlaws brand, as well as his events and the racetracks that pay a hefty sanction fee to hold a one-day or two-day show.
In an effort to deal with the situation — or negotiation — the owners brought in representation as a way to have one voice speaking to Carter on the different issues. It’s led to more back-and-forth over the last couple of months with no clear resolution.
Aside from a few sound bites on Winged Nation, Carter has, for the most part, been quiet. It wasn’t until last week’s Performance Racing Industry Show that he spoke through the release of a new bonus program that seems more like a take-it-or-leave-it option.
The numbers look good on paper, but it was far from a soothing moment. Doing the math and comparing it to last year, there are some gains in the top three finishers in the Outlaw point standings, but it lessens as you go down the order, and depending on the number of races run, could be less.
A year ago, Platinum teams were given extra money based on finishing order per race. The checks were handed out monthly, according to drivers. The process has been tweaked in 2023 with teams receiving 75-percent of their point check as a bonus, which will be paid out at the end of the year.
If Brad Sweet wins another title, he gets roughly a $110,000 bump over last year. Second is around $45,000, with third dropping down to nearly $15,000 more compared to 2022. Then, it dips to $5,000 for most positions and to $1,500 for others. The catch is that last year’s numbers are based on 69 races.
What if they run 80 races this year? The bonus gained might turn into a minus, in some cases, which has some owners scoffing at the idea that this was a suitable compromise.
As for the freedom, Carter said that teams can run four non-Outlaw events outside of 48 hours or 100 miles of a scheduled series race. Again, there is a catch. As of now, the two unsanctioned Kings Royal week shows at Eldora, the Capitani Classic, the Front Row Challenge, and others count against the teams. Oh, and if a driver runs another car somewhere else, it counts against his bonus total and not his team.
Ouch.
The PRI announcement led to another owner’s meeting this week via conference call. The feeling I get is that, although a couple of teams might not run the Outlaws full time, there won’t be a split. It’s a little late in the game for such a venture.
But I still don’t know what the future holds. With the announcement of an unsanctioned, $1 million-to-win race at Eldora in July and a lucrative High Limit schedule in place, teams might decide to go the pick-and-choose route.
There is another scenario. If you are a team running fifth in the Outlaw point standings and out of championship contention come July, you might decide to pull off tour and chase more money … say, the Tuscarora 50 or another High Limit payday. Titles are nice, but it doesn’t supersede dollars and cents.
I don’t believe owners want to hurt the World of Outlaws or break away. Unlike Late Model racing, I think splits and not knowing who is going to run where is something that owners are trying to avoid. They want to race against the best and still keep point chases and titles relevant in this sport.
But fairness and freedom are sticking points to this group. It could lead to an unpredictable 2023 season or a new series in 2024. Whatever the case, this sport has become a business, and the future is a bit uncertain.